Steady rest



R. E. JENKINS May 11, 1948.

' STEADY REST Filed Feb. 1, 1945 "2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B [chard E Jnk/ns s 4 a o m at w m iv M 4 S W 4 .v E 2 a v e d m M H w 5 s m m w 1 p M m \QN I? m E Y b I. J m n :1: .w\ E .E w w n R *N NN N m. w w m h w Wm w NN 4 m u 9 1 an 11 N. QWW w m% M Patented May 11, 1948 SfEE-ADY REST i h edzfi- J n Keeeer it ii- Application February 1, 1945, SerialN'o; 575;720"

(Granted under, the. act of, March 3, 183 as d nni 0,1928; n .0, a; 11.),

5 Claims.

'Ifhe invention described herein maybe manufacturedandiused by or for the Government; for gover mental purposes, without paymenttome; of: ro a h n.

in tion relates to steady rests, and more particularly it is directed to an automatic fluid; pressure. operated steady rest.

In th eflpastit hasbeen the practice in the; arttpi clamp alstea dy rest to a lathe body byarnanually operated clamping lnechanism, wherein the hinge d sections-oi thesteady rest were manually clamped to provide a rigid condition, and also each oi th e adjustable centering pistons or holding.- ja yvs were manually operated individually 'lfhese; manually operated clamp screws requiredconsiderable time, in positioning and fasteningthe steady restin operable position. The manuallyoperated centering pistons or clamp jaws in addition to requiring considerable time in the proper placement were individually operated and controlled thus rendering it impossible to adjust each with equal pressure The present inventionovercomes each andall of the above enumerated disadvantages, in that the steady rest may be wquicklyv clampe'dfto a lathe body, the hinged members looked in operable condition, and the centering pistons positioned under equal pressureexertedby a constant pressure fluid system. v

'It ,is an. objectof this invention to provide a steady. restfor a lathe which may be automaticallyfclan ped at a predetermined position on the lathe body.

'Another object of this invention is to provide a steady. restiformediof a pair of hinged members whereinithe hinged members may be automatically lock e dlin operablerelationship. i

'Ajfurtherobject of this invention is to provide steady rest having radially movable centering pistons wherein the centering pistons may be automaticallypositioned and caused to exert pressure on a structural member held therebetween. A further object of thi invention is to provide a steady rest-wherein the same pressure is exerted on each of the centering pistons to position aocurately a structural member supported therebetween.

Anotherobjectof this invention is to providea device;.of-the class herein described whereinall the, centering pistons are positioned with the same pressure force and looked in this state.

Astill furtherobject of this invention is to pro vide adevice of the class herein described which will be fsimpla and economical in construction; and edonomical and durable in use. i

Thegfpreeoina nd other jects otthis invena i e Wi ma eqr a enarent rom teadi eithesee a ion: o ju tio t -drawingeerm ing a pa-rt; -ther,eo.f, Wh in:

T t Q i d d evati n f nsid eim p rablen itinz s ra ins an bod es t. o he ve tion, n which; he-12 5mm. a d Piston h ad rerie dl em nted;

2 w tailed: w s sz ionali iewioff mod fi d qimw lde 1 9a n rtsz em sh wn e e o h wi e h r ta .yi ly i ni u o e able;

position a ei ;septionalview, howin the er i a .inshut-ofit-n iien F detail ipnal e h winee bsime ry al qnnec ina he; neumatic; ressu e: n s: ith he atha ampine pis on." hamb r:

conduit i av 5i s; a e a l; iona whowin he rotary valve: o erably co n nectingthe. pneumatic; re su e: ur e with h a h damn n piston Figi, i s S c iona v ew. f: a en er n p st n;

fi heiyn ush wn n E ie l-the w nes h rei l lse memb rs .aresi n the s me eference, num ra i, athe. bed; ways. upport v ead est-p nedth reon .inia mane. ner such that-it maybe slidablyimovielilon itudb,

. na v he eon an s ure y c amped ,inapreideters n dz-posi onz y emovablercl mpine member S as will be further;discussed;hereinafter The s ady,- res on t essentia ly of: at base; member; 4 anda top member 5, pivotallyiconnected;s

at one ,end with a ivot bolt 6;;and-rlocked{;to ether ;c i l nd bn neasi a amsurfaces; mo e fully discnssedherein belqwi. A;pluralitynf pneua.

matically operated; centering pistons lrare posir ime nth ai r aseime r mandarin-memer n i ianaular,lineswithrespe titothecenr, er i t i he d i ee our ei ofgai i undenconstantpress re l onw nected through a; three-way valve aspositionedzini a flexible tube}; with; aconduit- I01; providedsin. i. the base-member-A Thisconduit; Ill-[is connected ql gh i e r eiii rota y lk i I 2 ith. l fi b the ie dri est-i he,- emaio Piston h t 01 1 r member-t ndra n a e i fie-i tliele iihni ill e flwht ial d-eteils i this invention will be more clearly understood by discussing the operation of the device with each position of the four-position rotary valve II operated by a handle I2 which when aligned with numerals I3 positioned on the base member 4 indicate the position of the valve. The valve I I consists broadly of a substantially s-shaped conduit I4 connecting air pressure conduit ID with various conduits leading to piston chambers or cylinders for selectively operating the individual pistons associated therewith.

The following discussion of the device presupposes that the three-way valve 9 is positioned to permit air under pressure to enter the conduit III leading to the rotary valve I I.

When the rotary valve II is in position 1, see Fig. 3, it is in the shut-off position as the S-shaped conduit is not registered with the air pressure conduit ID, or any of theother conduits for that matter.

When the valve is in position 2, see Fig. l, the S-shaped conduit I4 is registering with the air pressure conduit I and the lathe clamping piston chamber conduit I5 permitting air under pressure to pass into the lathe clamping piston chamber I6 where it acts upon the air clamping piston head I? moving the piston head upwardly and since the removable clamping member 3 is connected to the piston I8, it is urged into contact with the lathe bed ways I by the action of the piston head I? moving upwardly.

When the valve operating handle I2 is in position 3, see Fig. 5, the air pressure conduit I9 is connected by the S-shaped conduit I4 with the lathe clamping piston chamberconduit I5 and the hinged clamping plunger conduit I9. The steady rest is held locked to the lathe while the air pressure is also directed to the hinge clamping piston chamber 20 where it forces the hinge locking plunger 2i into contact with the locking recess 22 provided in the top member 5. The hinge locking plunger 2| is provided with a cam surface 23, which engages the cam surface 24 of the locking recess 22 thereby urging the top member 5 into close contact with the base member 4 as the hinge locking plunger 2i is forced outwardly by the air pressure.

When the operating handle I2 is in position 4, see Fig. 2, the air pressure conduit I0 is connected by the S-shaped conduit I4 with the lathe clamping piston chamber conduit I5, the hinge clamping plunger chamber conduit I9 and the centering piston chamber conduit 25. The centering piston chamber conduit 25 is connected with'one of the centering chambers 26 which is connected by a conduit 21 with the other centering piston chamher in the base member 4. A conduit 28 leading from the first-mentioned centering piston chamber terminates at the locking surface of the base member 4 and top member 5, and it is aligned with a. conduit 29 provided in the hinge top member 5 connecting the source of pressure with the centering piston chamber 26 in said top member 5. It is considered advisable to mention at this time'that the air pressure maintained in the connecting conduits 29 and 28 will escape at their joinder in the event of a failure in the hinge clamping means, and in this way operates as a safety indicator for the lathe operator.

Since each of the centering piston chambers 26 and the centering pistons I operate in the same manner, and are interconnected so that the pressure is equal in each, the discussion and illustration will be limited to one of these structures. It is one embodiment of this invention'to provide a centering piston head 34 securely attached to the centering piston I, see Fig. 9, which is actuated by pneumatic pressure to force the centering piston into contact under pressure with a structural member centered and supported by the plurality of centering pistons. An improvement over this piston arrangement, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, will now be discussed in detail. The centerin piston 1 is slidably mounted through a longitudinally slotted tubular extension 30 which is externally tapered. Surrounding the centering piston I is a piston plate 3I slidably mounted in the centering piston chamber 26 and also longitudinally movable along the centering piston 1. A tubular extension 32 extending from the plate 3I is internally tapered and surrounds the tubular extension 30. In this structure, the pneumatic pressure will force each of the centering pistons 1 into contact witha structural member centered and supported therebetween, and then force the plate 3I inwardly. As the plate 3I is forced inwardly the tubular extension 32 thereon will engage the external tapered extension 30 forcing the extension 32 into locking contact with the centering piston I due to the contraction afiorded by the longitudinal slot 34' in the tubular extension 30, thereby locking the piston I against longitudinal movement. The tubular extension 30 has a longitudinal slot 34 provided therein. This slot 34 permits the tubular extension 30 to contract and expand in cross section upon the application and release of pressure.

On each and every longitudinally movable piston or plunger in a chamber, discussed above, there is provided a sealing ring 33 to prevent escape of the air under pressure. In this connection it is to be noted that in the construction shown in Fig. 1, air compressed by piston plate 3| as the latter moves inwardly is vented to atmosphere through opening 29'. In the construction disclosed in Fig. 2 air compressed by piston plate 3I as said plate moves inwardly is vented to atmosphere through. conduits II' and valve 9, as will be understood without further discussion.-

In order to rapidly remove the pneumatic pressure from the system the three-way valve is turned to the bleeding position, see Fig. 8, thereby dissipating the pressure from each unit to the outside atmosphere depending upon the position of the four-position rotary valve; for instance, if the rotary valve is in position 4 and the three-way valve 9 in the pressure tube 8 is turned to the bleeder position, the pressure will be immediately removed from all chambers of the steady rest.

Assuming a steady rest construction embodying the piston and piston head assembly shown in. Figs. 1 and 9, when the pneumatic system associated with the steady rest has been relieved of pressure, piston head I! in lathe clamping chamber I6, together with piston I8 and clamping member 3, under the action of gravity, will move downwardly and, in so doing, will automatically release the steady rest from the lathe bed ways I. Meanwhile. the top and base members 4 and 5, respectively, may be unlocked by inserting a suitable implement in locking recess 22 between the tip of locking plunger 2I and the opposing wall of recess 22. When in this position, manipulation of the implement will force the locking plunger 2| into its original position in the lower end of chamber 20. After members 4 and 5 have been unlocked, top member 5 may be swung upwardly and outwardly about pivot bolt '6, whereupon the work may be removed and the pistons 1 manual- 1y retracted to restore piston heads 3| to their initial positions.

In the event that the steady rest embodies a piston and piston head assembly as disclosed in the modifications shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 7, pistons i may be removed from the work and piston heads 3| restored to their original positions by means of an auxiliary pressure system I0 consisting of a three-way control valve 9' and distributing conduits II in communication with the conical portions of chambers 28 as shown in Figs. 2, 6 and '7. With this arrangement, sufficient pressure may be applied to the piston heads 3| to disengage the tubular extensions 38 and 32, retract pistons i and return piston heads 3| to their initial positions as will be understood without further discussion.

For clarity, the invention has been described employing a pneumatic pressure source, but it is to be clearly understood that any fluid pressure source, such as an oil hydraulic system, is operable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A steady rest comprising hinged body members, a plurality of chambers in said body members, slidable members mounted in said chambers, a camming recess in one of said body members adapted to receive one of said slidable members mounted in the other of said body members, a clamping member secured to another of said slidable members and adapted to engage the bed way of a lathe to securely fasten the steady rest thereto, the other of said slidable members being angularly spaced and adapted to engage a structural member therebetween, and means selectively directing fluid pressure to the aforementioned chambers for operably positioning said movable members positioned therein.

2. A steady rest comprising hinged body members, a piston slidably positioned in one of said body members, a clamping member secured to said piston and adapted to engage the bed way of a lathe, a plunger slidably mounted in one of said body members, a locking recess in the other of said body members and adapted to receive said plunger, a plurality of angularly spaced pistons slidably mounted in said body members and adapted to engage a structural member therebetween, a source of constant pressure fluid, and a multiple position valve selectively connecting said source of pressure with said slidably mounted members.

3. A steady rest comprising a base member adapted to slide along bed ways of a lathe, a. fluid pressureactuated clamp mechanism provided in said base member and adapted to clamp the said base member to the aforementioned lathe bed ways, a top member pivotally connected to said base member, a locking recess provided in said top member, a fluid pressure actuated plunger provided in said base member and adapted to engage said locking recess, a plurality of angularly spaced fluid pressure actuated pistons provided in said base and top members, an external source of fluid pressure, and a multiple position valve selectively directing fluid pressure to said fluid pressure actuated members.

4. A steady rest comprising a base member, a top member pivotally connected to said base member, fluid pressure actuated means locking said top member to said base member, fluid pressure actuated means clamping said steady rest to a lathe, and a plurality of fluid pressure actuated pistons adapted to center and support a structural member therebetween, and means se- 'lectively directing fluid pressure to said piston and to said fluid pressure actuated means.

5. A steady rest comprising a base member, a top member pivotally connected to said base member fluid pressure actuated means locking said top member to said base member, fluid pressure actuated means clamping said steady rest to a lathe, and a plurality of fluid pressure actu- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,961,091 Smith May 29, 1934 2,016,482 Brown Oct. 8, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Dec. 20, 1928 

